Estimate the high-resolution distribution of ground-level particulate matter based on space observations and a physical-based model

Atmospheric particulate matter estimated by using satellite data is gaining more attention due to their wide spatial coverage advantages. Here, instead of empirical statistical approach, we describe a physical-based approach that reduces the uncertainty of surface PM10 estimation from satellite data. In our approach, particulate matter mass concentration retrievals require the inclusion of optical properties of aerosol particles and meteorological parameters. We use one year of MODIS aerosol optical depth data at 550 nm and meteorological data to estimate surface level PM10 over China. As compared to regression coefficients obtained through simple correlation (R = 0.44) or multiple regression (R = 0.53) techniques, the physical-based approach derives hourly PM10 data that compared with ground-based measurements with R = 0.74. Although the degree of improvement varies over different sites and seasons in China, this study demonstrates the potential for using physical-based approach for operational air quality monitoring

Remote Sensing and Problems of the Hydrosphere

A discussion of freshwater and marine systems is presented including areas of the classification of lakes, identification and quantification of major functional groups of phytoplankton, sources and sinks of biochemical factors, and temporal and regional variability of surface features. Atmospheric processes linked to hydrospheric process through the transfer of matter via aerosols and gases are discussed. Particle fluxes to the aquatic environment and global geochemical problems are examined

The flow physics of helicopter brownout

The formation of the dust cloud that is associated with low-level helicopter operations in desert environments has been simulated using the Vorticity Transport Model together with a coupled model to represent the entrainment and subsequent transport of particulate matter through the flow. A simple thin-layer theory, supported by simulations performed using the more physically-representative numerical model, is used to explain the formation of characteristic sheet- and filament-like structures in the dust cloud in terms of the interactions between individual vortical filaments and the ground. In parts of the flow, for instance near the ground vortex that is formed under the leading edge of the rotor when in forward flight, the dust cloud becomes more space-filling than sheet-like in character, and the theory suggests that this is a result of the dust distribution having been processed by multiple vortices over a significant period of time. The distribution of the regions on the ground plane from which significant entrainment of dust into the flow takes place is shown to be influenced strongly by the unstable nature of the vortical structures within the flow. It is suggested that the effect of this vortical instability, when integrated over the timescales that are characteristic of the formation of the dust cloud, is to de-sensitize the gross characteristics of the dustcloud to the details of the wake structure at its inception on the rotor blades. This suggests that the formation of the brownout cloud may be relatively insensitive to the detailed design of the blades of the rotors and may thus be influenced only by less subtle characteristics of the helicopter system

Performance specifications for a meteorological satellite lidar Final report

Cirrus cloud cover observation capability and performance specifications for meteorological satellite lida

The Uniform World Model: A Methodology for Predicting the Health Impacts of Air Pollution

Throughout history, technological development and economic growth has led to greater prosperity and overall standard of living for many people in society. However, along with the benefits of economic development comes the social responsibility of minimizing the mortality and morbidity health impacts associated with human activities, safeguarding ecosystems, protecting world cultural heritage and preventing integrity and amenity losses of man-made environments. Effects are often irreversible, extend way beyond national borders and can occur over a long time lag. At current pollutant levels, the monetized impacts carry a significant burden to society, on the order of few percent of a country’s GDP, and upwards to 10% of GDP for countries in transition. A recent study for the European Union found that the aggregate damage burden from industrial air pollution alone costs every man, woman and child between 200 and 330 € a year, of which CO2 emissions contributed 40 to 60% (EEA 2011). In a sustainable world, an assessment of the environmental impacts (and damage costs) imposed by man\'s decisions on present and future generations is necessary when addressing the cost effectiveness of local and national policy options that aim at improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this paper is to present a methodology for calculating such adverse public health outcomes arising from exposure to routine atmospheric pollutant emissions using a simplified methodology, referred to as the Uniform World Model (UWM). The UWM clearly identifies the most relevant factors of the analysis, is easy to implement and requires only a few key input parameters that are easily obtained by the analyst, even to someone living in a developing country. The UWM is exact in the limit all parameters are uniformly distributed, due to mass conservation. The current approach can be applied to elevated and mobile sources. Its robustness has been validated (typical deviations are well within the ±50% range) by comparison with much more detailed air quality and environmental impact assessment models, such as ISC3, CALPUFF, EMEP and GAINS. Several comparisons illustrating the wide range of applicability of the UWM are presented in the paper, including estimation of mean concentrations at the local, country and continental level and calculation of local and country level intake factors and marginal damage costs of primary particulate matter and inorganic secondary aerosols. Relationships are also provided for computing spatial concentration profiles and cumulative impact or damage cost distributions. Assessments cover sources located in the USA, Europe, East Asia (China) and South Asia (India).Air Pollution, Urban Air Quality, Particulate Matter, Air Quality Modeling, Health Impact Assessment, Loss of Life Expectancy, Damage Costs of Air Pollution

Lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosols over Menlo Park, California, October 1972 - March 1974

During an 18-month period, 30 nighttime observations of stratospheric aerosols were made using a ground based ruby lidar located near the Pacific coast of central California (37.5 deg. N, 122.2 deg. W). Vertical profiles of the lidar scattering ratio and the particulate backscattering coefficient were obtained by reference to a layer of assumed negligible particulate content. An aerosol layer centered near 21 km was clearly evident in all observations, but its magnitude and vertical distribution varied considerably throughout the observation period. A reduction of particulate backscattering in the 23- to 30-km layer during late January 1973 appears to have been associated with the sudden stratospheric warming which occurred at that time